Air-brake for automobiles.



110.833.992.y l l PATBNTED 001.23, 1606. r A.wINToN&f-H.. ANDERSON.

Am BRAKE lPQR AUTOMOBILES;

'.{Prnwuroil FILED Mie. 10; 19.05.

Wurf-nuwe 74'/ L y ations, 4

PATRNTRD ocT. '2s A. w-INToN R H.- B. ANDERSON. AIR BRAKE PoR AUToMoBILRs.

n l z ATNTnn'ooT. 23, 1906. A. WINTON & H. B. ANDERSON. AIR BRAKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

` APPLICATION FILED AUG`.10. 1905.

' 's sumssunnita l /IW I l I l 11| IY .I. -Lidnlll wi -il i nA'riON or eine.

larged longitudinal sectional view of the pre- 45.

- operator.

. srAriis vrAii-nNT oFF-ion .ALXANDERAwiN'rON AND HAROLD nANDEnsO'N, or CLEVELAND,Oi-iio;

' vASSIGNORS TO vTHE WINTON MOTOR CARRIAGE COMPANY, A CORPO- AIR-BRAIKE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'- Appiicaionined August 10,1905. seriaiNo. 273.631.

Patented oct. 23, i906.

To all whoml it may concern: however, is .a reciprocating air-puinp 1, the

Beit known that we, ALEXANDER WINTON j pitman 2 ol which is connected with a crankandUl-IAROLD B. ANDEitsoN, citizensof'the i shaft 3, .which is operatively connected to United States, residing at Cleveland, in the vthe engine in any desired manner. '.lhe'concounty of Cuyahoga and State ol Ohio, have l iiectioii between the crank-shaft 3 and the invented certain new and use'lul li'nprovel engine is not here shown, asit is unnecessary mentsinAir-Brakes loi'Automobiles, oiwhich l' to a full understanding of the present inventhe following is a speciiication, reference bc- "l ion and lorms no part thereof. Y l 'lhe air-pump has an outlet 4., controlled 4 ing had therein `to the accompanying drawings.

I by a check-valve'5,vand the outlet'4 commu- ','lhis invention relates -to improvement in iin-ales with a suitable storageftank 6 by air-brakes lor automobiles,` the object` of l means ol" a pipe or passage-way 7. .Air is adwhich is to provide an air-braking mec'hanl. mitted to'the air-pump cylinder through the ism for automobiles which is easily and con` openings S and 9; the one 8 being controlled veniently controlled by the operator, and by a suitable check-valve 10v and closed `thus provide a brake which will avoid the thereby when the pump is compressing the usual physical exertionin manipulating the air in its cylinder. `The check-valve 5 is a brakes now in use upon automobiles and single-acting valve and serves to close the which also places within the control ol the outlet-passageagainst the passage of air into operator a powerful' brake to meet emerthe cylinder from the tank 6. gency cases, where a quick stop of the car is necessary to avoid accidents.v vehicle-wheels, and located attheinner side ol" The object of the present invention also rethe braking-[lange are the two n embers 12 i -lates to a. construction whereby the operator and 14, having one of their eiulsfpivotallyr `may place any desired air-pressure upon the supported at the point 15, and these two A' braking-[lange 1l is carried by one oi-- the rake from a slight pressure to the maximum members serve to nconstitute a brake which 4and which will hold or set the brake at the decoacts with or engages the inner side o1 the sired pressure, .the release of which is also Within the control of the operator', the said 417 are separated. A disk 18 is suitably confunctions ory operations being accomplished nectedwith the vehicle, 4b eing preferably by a single element-,1 which may be either supported by or connected with the rear axleunderthe control of the foot or hand of the housing 19, and which is well understoodxhy l those skilled in the art. Suitably journaled -A brake having the above characteristics in the disk 18 is an oscillating shaft 20, which is adapted to be used in the place of the ordicarries at its inner end a crankbloek or pronary manually-operated brake, as it is as cajection 21, which is located between the free pable of the delicate pressure and with the ends 16 and'17 of the braking members 12 advantage of high pressure at the will of the and 14. Connected to the projecting end. of operator. the oscillating shaft 20 is a crank-arm 22, and In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 the outer end of this crank-arm is pivotally is a diagrammatic view of the air-brake inconnected with the piston-rod 23 at lthe volving the present invention, being partly point 24. This piston-rod 23 is connected shown in section. Fig; 2 is a detached enwith a piston 25, which is located within the rake-operating cylinder 26, and the cylinder ferred form of controller. Fig. 3 is a view 26 is pivoytally supported upon the pin15, presimilar to Fig. 2, showing another form of viously referred to, whereby thecylinder controller. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of may oseillate when the crank-arm 22 is actuthe improved air-brake applied to an autoated by the outward movement of. the pistonl roo mobile and in connection with the discon- ,25 under the air-pressurewithin the eylinder in carryin out, from the tank 6 Ithrough. thepipe 27, con- The preferred orm,

. Air-pressure to the cylinder 26- is supplied troller 28, and pipe 29, the latterl being con- Ior,

i i der, the

' Referring iirst to the construction of this controller, and more particularly to the enlarged section, Fig. 2, it comprises a casing having a diaphragm-chamber 31 and an air-inlet opening 32, withwhicli the pipe 27 from the tank 6 communicates. This opening 32 has at its upper end an opening 33, which communicates with the dia-phi'agni-chanihcr 31, and the` opening 33 is controlled by a check-valve 34, normally held against its seat by a spring 35, and thus normally closes the opening 33 lagainst admission oi air to the chamber 31 from the tank 6. A spring 36 is located below the diaphragm and serves to hold it inits normal horizontal position. Projecting into the casing of the controller is a manually-operated member or stein 37, having at its outer end a head 38, adapting it to be pressed by the foot of the opera-tor. The lowei' end of this stem or member 37 is adapted to slide in a guideway 39, projecting upward l'rom the diaphragm 40. The lower end oi said coiled spring 30 rests upon the upper side of the diahragm 40, and its upper end engages a colar 41, connected with the stem 37 within the bore 42 ofthe casing, which also contains the spring 30. This spring 30 serves to hold the stem or member 37 normally outward in the position indicated in Fig. 2 with the collar 41 abutting against the top wall of the bore 42. A passage-way 43 has its lower end communicating with the diaphragm-chamber 31 below the diaphragm and has its upper end conimunicating with the bore 42 through a valvecontrolled opening 44. The casing is provided with an air-outlet passage 45, which is in communication with the said passage-way 44. A valve 46 serves to close the passageway 44 when permitted to do so, and a spring '47 normally exerts a closing tension upon the said y valve. The spring 30 is suiiiciently strong to hold the stem or member 37 .normally in its outward position, (shown in Fig. 2,) and the valve 46 has a stem 48 adapted to be engaged by the collar 41 when in the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the valve 46 is normally held open, and there is normally a free passage-way from the diaphragm-chamber 31 through the passage-ways 43 and 44 to the escape-opening 45, which will permit the air to escape from the diaphragm-chamber. Fipe 29 communicates with the diaphragmchamber 31, and thus establishes communication between tlie'said chamber and the cylinder 26.

While there is shown but one cylinder 26,

` it is to be understood that there will be a cylinder 26 and a'coperating braking mechanism for each of the rear driving-'Wheels of the vehicle and that there will be a communica- ,tion between each of the braking-cylinders and the diaphragin-chainber 31.

Having thus described the construction of the controller, the operation thereof will now be explained. As here shown, the parts are in the positions for releasing the brake and the brake is not in operation. To apply the brake, the stem or member 37 is depressed, which permits 4the valve 46 to be seated.

A further depression of the member 37 will exert suiicient tension upon the spring 30 to depress the diaphragm 40, and the depression of the diaphragm 40 will cause a projection or extension 49, carried by the diaphragm, to engage the valve 34 and unseat the valve. Air-pressure will then rush into the diaphragm-chainber 31 below the diaphragm from the tank 6 and through the pipe 29 to the cylinder or cylinders 26, thus actuating the pistons in the said cylinders and applying the brake members 12 and 14. As soon as the air-pressure in the diaphragmchamber 31 is suliicient to equal the downward pressure exerted through the spring 30 upon the diaphragm 40 the latter will be l'orced upward by the said pressure and the valve 34 will be seated, thus holding in the cylinder 26 the desired pressure, according to the braking effect required. 1f a further pressure is desired in the cylinder 26, this is accomplished by depressing the member or stem 37 lstill farther, and thus exerting greater pressure through the spring upon the diaphragm, and. again unseating the valve 34 until the required pressure on the brake is obtained. It will be understood that the more air-pressure there is under the dialiragm. the greater pressure through the spring 30 is required to depress thel diaphragm, and whatever pressure there is exerted upon the spring 30 will be'equalized' by the air-pressure Aunder the diaphragm 4O and permit the closing of the valve 34 as long as the member or stem 37.is held depresse suiic'iently to prevent its return to the normal position. (Shown in Fig. 2.) Assuming the brake to be set by the downward movement of the member 37, the brake may be instantly released by permitting the return of the member 37 to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the collar 41 will unseat the valve 46 and permit thel air to escape Jfrom the diaphragm-chamber through the passages 43, 44, and 45, and hence release thel pressure from the braking-cylinder 26 and permit the piston therein to be returned by its spring.

Fromtheforegoin description it-will be understood that if a s ight pressure is desired upon the brake the loosening ofthe valve 34 from its seatI by the downward pressure through'the'spring 30, as explained, will permit a smallamount of air-pressure to enter IOO IIO

'was

the 'braking-cylinders,and' when the airpressure against the diaphragm; equalizes the pressure exerted thereon by the spring 30 the'valve 34-will close, and the valve 46 being closed, owing to the ment of thecollar 41, the brake will be set at this slight pressure until released by the return of the member 37 and the unscating of the pressure relief or escape valve 46. vA controller having a yielding operating means against which the air-pressure for operating the brake also acts enables any amount -of pressure to be exerted upon the brakingsmall a above-mentioned pressures.

cylinder between the minimum and the maximum pressure and without any waste of air-pressure-that is to say, if. there'. were no means provided for closing. the communication between the air-suppl tank and the braking-cylinder when the desired pressure was obtained there would be no way of .locking the brake set at an intermediate pressure, beeause-vl no matter hcw passsage-way is provided between the tank and the braking-cylinder if held open any length of time the pressure inthe braking-cylinder would be equal to that in the supply-tank. The construction herein shown andfdesccribed, or its equivalent, provides means for operating the brake slightly or of operating the brake bya gradually-increasing pressure, or operating the brake by maximum pressure suddenly, and of locking the brake, by the air-pressure at either of the In Figs.. l and 2 we have shown ferred construction of controller, though we d esire it to be understood that the construction there shown is not essential to the inventhat the'collar 41 and many of these changes could be readily worked out by those ski the disclosure herein.

The controller in Fig. 1 differs slightly from Fig. 2, in' that the passage-way 43, of Fig. 1 consists of a separate pipe 43, and in of Fig. 1 is constructed to have a cam action `to open the relief-valve 46 and in that the relief-valve is differently situated. l

In Fig. 3 is shown one of many modifications In Fig. 3 the stem or member 37 is provided with a piston-relief 50, which moves inthe casing 51. In this instance the assage-way 54 communicates with a chamber 52, and the piston 50 is provided with an annular groove 53.l A spring54 is located between the iston and the diaphragm 40 andacts simi ar to `spring 30 in Figs. l and v2. The o eration o this'device is as follows: With t e parts in the position shown in Fig. 3 air, pressure to the ral' in,g;-cylinder is cut off, the air escape being through the passage 54 downward movee automatically thev prev.

which might be made of the controller.y

'to the chamber 52 and thence out through the escape-opening 45. The downward movement of the member 37 will'clo'se the escape-opening and unseat they check-valve 34', allowing pressurel to 4low from the supply-tank tothe diaphragm-chamber 31 and throu h the passage-way 31. to the braking cy inder or cylinders. The return ofthe member 37,. vto 1ts normal f position will open the escape-opening and release the airressure. v

e air-producing supplying air for the brak biles of the-,character described in United States patents granted to AlexanderWinton, No. 582,108, dated May 4, 1897; No. 636,606, dated-November 7, 1899, and No. 626,122,

dated May 30,V 1899.v this air-governing system is through the passage-.way 55, which is provided with a check-valve 56. .By this arrangement an air-controlling system forA automobiles is provided which includes the propelling and' the braking mechanisms.l

Preferably a gage 57 is tem, anda connection 5S 6 and the gage is provided. located between' the tank and 'the connection 58 is provided .with a connection-nozzle 60,adapted to receive arubber 'tube for inlating the tires of the vehicle from the tank as may be. desired, and the gage will the pressure in the tire. y

There may also be a connection 61 in the system for blowing what is known as the Gabriel horn or other signal 62, and this signal will be controlled by a valve 63, operated in any desired manner.

placed in the sys- A valve 59 is indicate particularly intended to be used in motor- `what are frequently termed gasolene-mopelling mechanism between the explosive-motor and the driving shaft or wheels, and also a disconnecting device or clutch. f

The essential feature of the' combination herein described for the air-brake, in connection with explosive-engines and its c operating parts, is that there must be a d1sconnecting device and a propelhng mechanism between the motor and the driven wheels. so that the motor can be detached'from the driven wheels and continue to operate independently of them for the purpose o' operating the pressure-producing device to supply the pressure for the air-brake when the engine is thrwn lout of gear with the propelhng mechanism, whereby the brake can be y used for. controlling the movement of the vehicle when the motel is disconnected from the propelling-wheels, whlch 1s an essentlal pump 1l in addition to i e also supplies air` for an air-controlling system for automo- The braking system herein described isl vehlcles propelled by explosive-engines, or`

tors, and in which it is designed to use a pro-" The air-supply for )gtween the tank the gage, and

IOO

In Fig. 4 is shown the arrangement of a j disconnecting device with the air-brake.

feature of the present invention that accomplishes the practical application of the pressure-actuated brake to a motondriven Vehicle.

Having thus described our invention,what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An air-braking system in combination With a motor-vehicle having a driving-shaft and propelling-wheels attached thereto, a housing for the propelling-shaft, a pro elling- Wheel having a brakclange, a raking 'member cooperating with the said flange, an air-cylinder supported by the housing and having a piston operatively connected with the brake member, an air-pressure supply for the cylinder, and a controller for the said air-pressure supply.

2. In combination with a motor-vehicle having a propelling-shaft and drive-wheels operatively connected therewith, the drive- Wheels having a brake-ange, a housing for the driving-shaft, an oscillating cylinder supported by the housing, a brake member coperating With the said flange, an oscillatingv member for operating the brake member, a piston in the cylinder operatively connected with the oscillating member, an airsupply for the said cylinder, and a controller for the said air-sup ly.

3. A controlling t evice for air-brake ap aratus for motor-vehicles of the kind descriged comprising an air-admission valve, a diaphragm separatel from the valve and having a part adapted to open said air-valve `when the diaphragm is moved in one direction, a push-rod having a head whereby it can be operated by the foot of the driver or inlike manner, a spring interposed between said rod and diaphragm, an air-passage leading to the brake-cylinders on the side of the diaphragm Where the air-admission valve is situated, an outlet-passage connecting the space on the air-inlet side of the diaphragm with the atmosphere, a valve controlling said passage and opened by the rod when it is released, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER WN-TON. HAROLD B. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

M. ALEXANDER KENNEDY, ORLAN F. BAUGHMAN. 

